One of the most important tasks in oncology is transferring months, if not years, of painstaking research into an informative and original written work ready for publication.

Luckily, ASCO University^® is here to help.

ASCO University has created an eLearning course designed to help researchers improve their manuscript preparation and assist in developing their work for publication. “Manuscript Preparation & Publication” includes eight sections designed to make the publishing process easier to navigate.

Course sections include:

• Matching your research to the right journal
• Authorship criteria, recognition, and responsibility
• Elements of an effective original report
• Statistical guidelines
• Ethical standards
• Submission preparation
• Understanding common practices
• Understanding and responding to decision letters

ASCO University understands the need for the practical, real-world advice, which is why this course offers guidance in meeting journal submission requirements, assessing and improving the quality of manuscripts, and navigating the peer-review process.

Leading these endeavors is ASCO University Editor-in-Chief Daniel G. Haller, MD, FACP, FRCP, FASCO, of the Abramson Cancer Center and Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Haller, a widely recognized researcher in gastrointestinal malignancies and a respected medical editor, is one of only four physicians to have served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO).

Dr. Haller was Editor-in-Chief of JCO from 2001-2011. The journal now receives more than 5,000 article submissions annually and reaches more than 25,000 readers interested in oncology.

The course incorporates information and tips from some of the live seminars Dr. Haller has given worldwide, including discussion of the unbiased review process underlying the scientific literature.

As part of the course, Dr. Haller helps participants examine blinded examples of manuscripts submitted to JCO and evaluate why those manuscripts were, or were not, successful in their goal of publication. “It is important for researchers worldwide to have confidence that manuscripts are accepted solely based on scientific value for the journal readership, rather than where the research was done or by whom,” Dr. Haller said.

The course “clearly explains the basics of manuscript preparation, selection, submission, and publication,” said participant Victor M. Villalobos, MD, PhD, of the University of Colorado Denver. “This process is often difficult to navigate, with many unspoken rules; however, Dr. Haller demystifies much of this in a presentation geared towards students, young investigators, and junior faculty. I would highly recommend this course to any of my peers who are just starting to publish, and even for those who already have experience with the publication process.”

Participants who complete the manuscript preparation and publication course can receive a Continuing Medical Education (CME) certificate awarding one American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award Category 1 Credit™. This credit is available only to physicians (MD and DO).

“Manuscript Preparation & Publication” is available through the ASCO University Bookstore for $75. ASCO members save 20% on their purchase. ASCO University is supported through the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO.